Friday Apple Rumors: Retina iPad Mini to Launch in October

Another recent rumor said it wouldn't debut until next year

Flip-Flop: One of Apple‘s (AAPL) leading supply chain partners is ready to begin volume shipping of 7.9-inch Retina touchscreens for an updated iPad Mini, DigiTimes notes. LG Display (LPL) has overcome production issues with the high-resolution screens and expects to ship between two million and three million units a month in time for an October launch of a the iPad Mini 2. The new report directly contradicts another rumor published earlier this week by DigiTimes that indicated that Apple would not release a Retina iPad Mini until 2014. Most analysts have expected Apple to unveil a higher-resolution iPad Mini in time for this year’s holiday shopping season. DigitTimes has a decidedly mixed record with regard to the accuracy of its Apple reporting.

App Help: Apple has purchased Canadian crowd-sourced mapping startup Locationary, AllThingsD notes. The deal is said to have been finalized recently. Apple, which has confirmed the acquisition, will acquire Locationary’s staff and technology. Locationary was backed by Plazacorp Ventures and Extreme Venture Partners. The acquisition is likely intended to help improve Apple’s own Maps app. Last year, Apple dumped Google‘s (GOOG) popular maps program from the backend of iOS in favor of its in-house developed app. However, users quickly pointed out errors and glitches in the app, leading to an apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook. Apple has been working quietly to bolster the app’s features and credibility ever since.

Second Victim: Chinese authorities are investigating injuries sustained by a man who received a serious electrical shock when he tried to charge his iPhone 4, the Daily Mail notes. The man was collapsed on Monday after he plugged the iPhone 4 into a charger at his Beijing home. He has since slipped into a coma. The man’s sister claims she felt a small shock after she attempted to disconnect the charger. The man was using an unapproved third-party manufacturer charger with the phone, not an Apple-authorized product. The incident follows an report that a 23-year-old Chinese woman received a fatal shock when she answered her iPhone 5 while it was charging last week. Inexpensive knock-off Apple equipment is readily available in China, including fake iPhones, chargers and iPads.

For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.